Flash back from Novembers’ past
Disclaimer: Written on November 4th
We are 84% of the way through the year 2022 and so far we’ve seen some great films released with others still on the way. There’s not a lot out at the current moment I find to be of great interest. So instead of a review today, I thought it’d be fun to look back at some of the most noteworthy films that were released on the weekend of November fourth. It’s, “This Day in Film History: 11/04 Edition!”
Flashback to six years ago. The year is 2016 and you just spent $17.50 on a ticket to Doctor Strange in 3D because you heard the visual effects would be the best thing you’ve ever laid eyes on. You take a seat in the auditorium and for the next 115 minutes you pretend you’re not struggling immensely to see what’s going on. Money well spent, eh? Doctor Strange released right in the middle of what might be the Marvel cinematic universe’s greatest hot streak. The studio was doing its best Barry Bonds impression; releasing hit after hit with no signs of them slowing down. And while this film may not be remembered as fondly as Guardians II or Civil War, it still delivered us a great introduction to Steven Strange, as played by Benedict Cumberbatch, and it expanded Marvel’s on-screen universe by showcasing all the nutty abilities that come with the mystic arts. However, it does upset me to no end that Marvel Studios could have released the sequel to this film, Multiverse of Madness, a clean six years after the original. Instead, they chose to release it in May. Why!?
Flashback five more years to 2011. The radio’s just finished playing Adelle’s “Someone like You” for the third time since you’ve entered the vehicle. You’re on your way to the theater to check out Brett Ratner’s new crime caper, Tower Heist. Though I never got the chance to see it in theaters, this is a film I’ve got a good amount of nostalgia for. And coming back to revisit it on its 11-year anniversary was way more fun than I thought it would be. The film is effortlessly charismatic and the chemistry between its cast is one the most important reasons why. You’ve got the professional persona brought by Ben Stiller clashing with the rowdy screen presence of Eddie Murphy. The timid middle-aged energy brought by Matthew Broderick contrasted with Michael Pena’s natural exuberance. Casey Affleck plays essentially the same role he did in the Ocean’s trilogy. And Gabourey Sidibe, fresh off of her Oscar nomination for Precious, bestows upon us an excellent comedic performance that nobody saw coming. Every component of the film comes together to deliver a product that’s fun in every possible sense of the word.
Some other notable films that released on the fourth include Hacksaw Ridge. A World War II biopic starring Andrew Garfield in a role that netted him his first of two Oscar nominations. A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas, the final film in the trilogy of stoner comedies, tried its hand at cashing in on the 3D craze of the late 2000s and early 2010s. It also gave us a variety of Neil Patrick Harris that was so inappropriate The Spectrum would have to let me go if I went into detail on his behavior. Oh. And Chicken Little also came out on November fourth, 2005. Fun fact! Did you know that the title character of the film was voiced by Zach Braff of Scrubs and Garden State fame? Yeah, neither did I. Guess it’s true that you learn something new every day.